Jimmy Kimmel opted to post his interview with James Talarico, a Democratic Senate candidate from Texas, on YouTube on Thursday night, due to concerns that the FCC might penalize ABC stations for airing it.
“What are they so scared of you?” Kimmel inquired of the candidate. Talarico responded, “They fear we might win this race in Texas. We remain the underdogs until every vote is counted. We’re not only challenging Texas’s most corrupt politician but the entire corrupt system.”
During their discussion, Kimmel and Talarico covered various topics, including Talarico’s decision to reject corporate PAC contributions, Trump’s connection with his opponent Ken Paxton, efforts by the GOP to suppress voting, and the distortion of Jesus’ teachings by the MAGA movement.
Talarico stated, “Scripture tells us that you can’t love God and hate other people. You can’t love God while mistreating immigrants, oppressing the poor, or bullying outcasts. I was taught to see the face of God in our neighbors. Matthew 25 outlines how Christians will be judged: by feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and welcoming strangers.”
“I often wonder what Jesus would do if he visited the U.S. Senate. I think he would say, ‘Depart from me, for I was hungry and you cut my food assistance. I was sick and you kicked me off Medicaid. I was a stranger and you deported me and my family.’ Then, I believe he would overturn those fancy desks and demand care for all our neighbors, especially the most vulnerable.”
Talarico also addressed his opponent Paxton’s impeachment by his fellow Republicans for bribery. He remarked, “Ken Paxton profits from public funds and evades questions about his corruption. Whenever he faces hard questions, he runs away. Videos show him being asked about his 15 homes and the THC ban in Texas, and he looks terrified and walks away. When I’m asked tough questions on the campaign trail, I answer them. That’s what we should expect from our public officials in a democracy.”
On Thursday’s ABC broadcast, Kimmel informed viewers, “This is an unusual program because in a few minutes, I’m going to interview James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas. But you’re not going to see it.”
Kimmel revealed on Wednesday that the Talarico interview would not be aired on ABC but would be available on YouTube due to FCC concerns, which had previously threatened ABC station licenses and briefly suspended Kimmel in 2025.
“In consideration of our local stations, especially our ABC affiliates in Texas who would have to face this issue, my interview with James Talarico will not air on television. It will instead be on YouTube,” Kimmel explained. “It will not be on TV.”
Kimmel elaborated during his Thursday monologue: “I mentioned last night that this interview will not be televised due to FCC threats, led by Commissioner Brendan Carr, who claims we don’t have the right to interview candidates of our choice, something we’ve done for over twenty years.”
Kimmel continued, “This is another attack on free speech, a situation we’re all too familiar with on the show and in the country. The FCC wants to make it impossible for me to interview candidates by requiring equal time for every candidate who requests it. So, I would not only have to interview James Talarico but also his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton—whom I’d love to interview. I have many questions for him. Our Texas affiliates would have to provide equal time to about 10 candidates on the ballot. But the White House claims that what I’m saying, which is evidently true, is not true.”
“It would be great if we could resolve this issue easily instead of the hard way. That would be terrific.”
Before the interview was posted on YouTube, Talarico told MS NOW he was “still hopeful” it would air on ABC. He described the FCC’s threats as “the most dangerous form of cancel culture,” stating, “Powerful politicians and media executives are censoring what we watch, read, and say. This should concern anyone who values the First Amendment and freedom of speech.”
This isn’t the first time a late-night show has pulled an interview with the Texas Senate candidate. In February, Stephen Colbert revealed that CBS executives removed his interview with Talarico due to concerns over the FCC’s “equal time” rule, which mandates equal airtime for political candidates. Despite exemptions, FCC chief Brendan Carr has aggressively targeted liberal-leaning programs. The agency is currently disputing with ABC’s “The View” and previously targeted “Saturday Night Live” over a cameo by Kamala Harris in 2024.
Eventually, Colbert shared his Talarico interview on YouTube, where it amassed 9.5 million views. The Talarico campaign raised $2.5 million within 24 hours of Colbert announcing he couldn’t air the interview.
Here’s Kimmel’s interview with Talarico, posted Thursday night on YouTube:
